Allow people to change their minds

Dear Sir,

I am writing in response to Paul Nuttall's letter published in the Chronicle on 7th December.

Paul Nuttall started his letter with the words "No one said Brexit would be easy".

This statement is not correct as Wikiquote clearly lists Michael Gove, John Redwood, Nigel Farage and Liam Fox as all claiming that Brexit would be easy.

Furthermore, Paul Nuttall, when leader of UKIP, stated on BBC Radio 4's Today in January of this year "I believe it will be easy to negotiate these terms".

Again, Paul Nuttall is wrong in his letter to state "But one thing is clear - the majority voted to leave the EU."

They did not. Only 37.5% of those who could vote voted leave.

Furthermore, it was totally wrong to exclude those aged between 16 and 18 (who were entitled to vote in the Scottish referendum of 2014) from voting in the EU referendum, because this decision will affect them more than for many who were entitled to vote, and at that age they are clearly mature enough to reach a considered opinion.

Given that those aged 16 to 18 would have massively voted to remain (according to Lord Ashcroft, 73% of 18 to 24-year-olds voted to remain) the actual result of the referendum would have been even closer and of course the majority of those aged between 16 and 18 in June 2016 are now entitled to vote.

In May 2016 Nigel Farage, when he thought Vote Leave would narrowly lose the referendum, stated that a 52 to 48 result would be unfi nished business and in such an event he would fi ght for a second referendum. So what is good enough for the goose is good enough for the gander!

In life we are always changing our minds whenever new evidence presents itself. Whether we purchase an item that does not meet our expectations or is not as good as purported by the seller - we can change our minds. Therefore, it must be obvious that in the light of new evidence, including statements made by the Vote Leave campaign that were clearly untrue, such as £350m per week for the NHS or Turkey joining the EU, that the British people must be allowed a chance to change their mind on the most important constitutional issue for a generation.

Since the spring of 2017 opinion polls have generally shown that there are more UK voters wishing to remain in the EU than there are to leave the EU.

Furthermore, earlier this month, an opinion poll in the Mail On

Sunday reported that 50% supported a second vote on whether to leave the EU whereas only 34% rejected another referendum. Of those who expressed an opinion, 59% want a second referendum compared to 41% who do not.

Why are Brexiteers so loath to grant a second referendum so that the people can express their will on the actual terms of Brexit? Surely there can only be one explanation: the Brexiteers have concluded, as I have, that the will of the people has changed to remaining in the EU.

Yours faithfully,

ROBERT DOUGLAS

Congleton.